Mechanical wheel indicator with sound effects
View Patent ↗In an embodiment, set forth by way of example and not limitation, a game includes a rotating wheel and sound effects, both under microprocessor control. In another example embodiment, a wheel indicator with sound effects includes a wheel, a motor for rotating the wheel, a speaker, and a microprocessor providing commands capable of causing the motor to rotate the wheel and speaker to emit a sound. In another example embodiment, a method for controlling a wheel and sound display includes providing a motorized wheel, providing a speaker, and providing a microprocessor and program instructions stored in ROM coupled to said microprocessor for controlling a rotational position of said wheel and for generating sound effects from the speaker.
1. A wheel game indicator with sound effects comprising:
a single wheel-shaped indicator having a surface displaying a plurality of segments radially extending from an axis of rotation where each wheel segment influences a specific result;
a single stepper motor for rotating said wheel-shaped indicator around said axis of rotation;
a segment detector;
a single pointer which points to one of said plurality of segments when said wheel-shaped indicator is stationary;
a sound chip;
a speaker; and
a microprocessor responsive to said segment detector and operative to provide at least one command to cause said single stepper motor to rotate said single wheel-shaped indicator to point said pointer to said one of said plurality of segments when said wheel-shaped indicator is stationary, said microprocessor being further operative to provide at least one command to cause said sound chip to synthesize at least one sound effect which can be played on said speaker.
2. A wheel game indicator with sound effects as recited in claim 1 wherein said speaker is a first speaker, and further comprising a second speaker which can emit a sound in response to a command from said microprocessor.
3. A wheel game indicator with sound effects as recited in claim 1 wherein said sound indicates that a bonus has been won.
4. A wheel game indicator with sound effects as recited in claim 1 wherein said sound is emitted based upon game actions and other game states.
5. A wheel game indicator with sound effects as recited in claim 1 wherein said sound is selectable.
6. A wheel game indicator with sound effects as recited in claim 1 wherein said sound is activated when a game action occurs.
7. A wheel game indicator with sound effects as recited in claim 6 wherein said game action is associated with said wheel shaped indicator.
8. A wheel game indicator with sound effects as recited in claim 1 further comprising a latch coupled between said microprocessor and said sound chip.
9. A wheel game indicator with sound effects as recited in claim 8 further comprising a low pass filter coupled between said sound chip and said amplifier.